36 Summer Studies of Birds and Books CHAP. 



it was really this, rather than the chance of finding 

 his nest, which caused me to give him such close 

 attention. This must, I think, be a sign of age, 

 though I have not seen it alluded to in books; I 

 have noticed it once or twice in other individuals, 

 but never so distinctly as in this one. This bird had 

 also another peculiarity : he had invented a variation 

 on the regular song of his species, consisting of two 

 introductory notes, which even Anderegg was sure 

 he had never heard before. 



There is a ridge of grassy limestone rock border- 

 ing the alp to the east, which gives one a splendid 

 position for scanning the tops of the pine-trees in 

 the valley below. Citril Finches and Crossbills will 

 sometimes show themselves here, and you can hardly 

 ever fail to see a Nutcracker. This is a very rare 

 bird at home, but you soon meet with him in Conti- 

 nental pine-woods. He is not unlike a large Starling, 

 and does indeed belong to the family of the Crows 

 a relationship betrayed by his odd, uncanny ways. 

 I have seen him sitting on the top of a pine, croaking 

 like a small Eaven, and looking quite fiendishly know- 

 ing. Mr. Howard Saunders noted the same charac- 

 teristic in him, and while watching one disposing of 

 nuts in the autumn, was irresistibly reminded of 

 Punch dealing with his enemies in the show. 1 He 

 descends in the autumn from the pines to the hazels, 



1 Ibis, 1891, p. 174. 



